In the production of various types of confectionary products, a liquefied confectionary medium, such as chocolate, is first poured into molds where it is then solidified by a cooling process, and thus molded. An apparatus oftentimes used in molding chocolate includes a roll having a number of impressions in its outer surface acting as molds into which chocolate is poured. Solidification occurs when the exterior roll surface and its impressions has a temperature sufficiently less than that of the liquefied chocolate to produce a change of state from liquid to solid. Hence, after the chocolate is poured onto the cool roller surface, and into its impressions, a heat transfer occurs between the liquefied chocolate and the roller surface, causing the chocolate to solidify. The solid chocolate then comes off the roller and onto a conveyor, whereby chocolate in the form of the impressions is separated from the connecting chocolate web.
Similarly, two confectionary rollers are also oftentimes used in the industry, wherein these rollers are placed parallel to one another with only a very small distance separating their outer surfaces. Chocolate is then poured into the space between the rollers whereupon coming in contact with the cooled surfaces, it is solidified. The solidified chocolate, having a ribbon-type shape, is then similarly delivered onto a conveyor belt and additionally processed.
A confectionary roll commonly used in the industry is comprised of an outer rotatable shell, having a cavity therein, and further having an inner rotatable shell or means for directing fluid against the inner surface of the water shell, and generally having a smaller diameter than the outer shell, with a rotatable shaft concentrically disposed therein. A cooling liquid, such as water, is passed through the annular space between the outer and inner shells, whereby the temperature on the exterior surface of the outer shell is, hence, reduced by the cooling liquid coming in contact with the interior wall of the outer shell. As a result, liquid chocolate having an elevated temperature will become solidified and molded once it comes in contact with the cooled exterior surface of the outer shell.
It has been observed that the problem associated with the use of such rollers is maintaining a consistently low exterior surface temperature along the entire length of the confectionary roll. In commonly used confectionary rolls, a cooling liquid is fed into one end of the roll and travels along its length to the other end, where it is discharged. It has also been noted that the temperature of the liquid at the introductory end of the roll is lower than the temperature at the discharging end. This is due to the cooling liquid undergoing constant heat transfer with the liquefied confectionary medium during its travels through the roll. The amount of heat transferred into the cooling liquid is smallest at the introductory end. As the liquid travels down the length of the roll it continuously accepts more heat so that the temperature of the liquid being emitted from the roll is higher than that of fresh liquid being introduced.
Consequently, it has been observed that this results in the outer shell surface having a lower temperature at the end where the liquid is introduced and a continuously increasing temperature all along the rest of the roll's length, with the surface temperatures being the highest at the end where the fluid is emitted. Chocolate being molded toward the fluid emission end of the roll can become less solidified than that at the introductory end, possibly resulting in defectively molded chocolate being produced and wasted. Alternatively, the speed of roll rotation, and consequently the ability of the apparatus to rapidly produce solidified confection, would be limited by the heat transfer ability of the roll at its warmest outer surface location.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an apparatus with an improved confectionary roll wherein the temperature along the entire outer shell surface of the roll is more uniformly maintained so as to allow satisfactory molded chocolate throughout the length of the roll.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved method for consistently molding chocolate.
It is a further object of this invention to decrease the amount of waste associated with the molding of chocolate due to varying temperatures along an exterior surface of a confectionary roll.